1. Maureen Theresa Muth "Rene" Portland was an American head coach in women's college basketball, known for her 27-year tenure with the Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team.
14 Facts About Rene Portland
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Rene Portland's career included 21 NCAA tournament appearances including a Final Four appearance in 2000, one AIAW national tournament appearance, five Big Ten Conference championships and eight conference tournament titles.
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Rene Portland's notoriety grew when it was revealed that she had for decades discriminated against homosexual players on the Penn State women's basketball team.
4.
Rene Portland was hired as head coach of the Penn State Lady Lions basketball program in 1980, following two seasons at St Joseph's and two seasons at Colorado.
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Rene Portland was previously one of the star players at Immaculata College, one of the early powers in women's college basketball, where Rene Portland helped lead the team to three national titles.
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Rene Portland served 27 seasons as the Lady Lions head coach.
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Rene Portland had a demonstrated commitment to charitable causes, participating in the first annual "Think Pink" day to raise funds for breast cancer research.
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Rene Portland forbade lesbian athletes in her program, as she explained in a 1986 article in The Chicago Sun-Times:.
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One of the first things Penn State coach Rene Portland brings up during a recruiting visit with a prospective player and her parents is lesbian activity.
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Rene Portland was fined $10,000, required to attend diversity training sessions, and placed on "zero tolerance" for future violations of the nondiscrimination policy.
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In 1993, Rene Portland served as an assistant coach to FIBA Junior World Championship head coach Jim Foster.
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In 1997, Rene Portland became the head coach of the US team competing in the Junior World Championship.
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Rene Portland served as the head coach of the USA representative to the 1999 World University Games.
14.
Rene Portland died in Tannersville, Pennsylvania following a three-year battle with peritoneal cancer on July 22,2018, aged 65.